Scoring and marking apparatus



United States Patent I [72] Inventor Jakob Dichter 101/(1nquired), 4, 7,117,123, 124, 35, 36, 37, 38, K Berlin-Schoeneberg, Germany 39, 40 [211 App]. No. 734,839

, Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 364,984, [56] References cued May 5, 1964, abandonut UNITED STATES PATENTS [22] Filed May 27,1968 1,251,541 l/1918 Knight... 269/21X [45] Patented Dec. 8, 1970 1,289,679 12/1918 Craig 83/9X [73] Assignee Hans-Joachim Dichter, heir of Martha L. 2,295,979 9/ 1942 Van Gorden 101/123 M. Dichter nee Meinichke, deceased, 2,461,281 2/ 1949 Jackson et a1. 101/123 Berlin-Schmargendorf, Germany 2,838,893 6/1958 Sickel 101-/35UX 3,012,386 12/1961 Pechmann et a1. 101/39X Primary Examiner-Morris Kaplan Attorneys-Albert C. Johnston, Robert E. Isner, Lewis 11. 5 M Eslinger and Alvin Sinderbrand 12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 118/35, ABSTRACT: In a device for local or punctiform scoring of 83/17,83/925, 101/7,101/35,101/123: 118/211, ampoules, the position at which each ampoule is scored is 118/243; 225/96 marked thereon by a marking member moved into contact [50] Field of Search ..L 118/263, with the ampoule from a position located away from the am- 35, 36, 37, 211, 241-243; 117/(1nqu1red); 83/8-12;225/(1nquired);53/(1nquired);

poule and at which the marking member picks up an ink drop from an ink supplying mechanism for transfer to the ampoule.

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hisiATTdRNEY PATENTED DEE 2 I978 sum 2 or 4 HY Min/NC his ATTORNEY safely broken off be reason of the weakening of the neck by the score.

Devices of the above described type have been provided in which the scoring operation is generally effected in a satisfactory manner, but difficulties are encountered in connection with the marking operation. In the existing devices, the marking operation is effected by a metering device inthe form of an ink container having a meteringopening which is normally closed, for example, by a spring-mounted ball, or which is dimensioned to constitute a. capillary opening, and the ink container is bodily movable to contact each ampoule at the opening of the container, whereby to deposit a dot of ink suitably positioned with respect to the score on the ampoule. Such metering devices for the marking of ampoules are prone to failure, especially when the ampoules are scored and marked immediately after passage through a shaping station and thus are still hot when contacted by the ink container at the opening of the latter. The contacting of the ink container with hot ampoules results in the obstruction of its metering opening due to the heat induced drying of the ink in such opening. Further, where the ink container is bodily moved into and out of contact with the successive ampoules to be marked, as in the existingscoring and marking devices, the size of the ink container, and hence its ink capacity, is limited by the necessity of restricting the inertial forces encountered in connection with the bodily movement of the ink container.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to avoid the difficulties referred to above, and to provide a device which functions satisfactorily in the marking of either hot or cold ampoules to indicate the position of the scoring thereof, and which affords clean and uniform inked markings accurately related to the position of the scores on successive ampoules.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the foregoing object is achieved by providing an inking or marking member which is moved periodically between a first position, where it receives a small quantity or drop of ink from an ink supplying mechanism situated remotely with respect to each of the successive ampoules at a marking station, and a second position, where the inking or marking member contacts each ampoule at the marking station so as to transfer to the ampoule the drop of inkpreviously picked up from the ink supplying mechanism. By reason of the foregoing arrangement according to this invention, the ink contained in the ink supplying mechanismcannot be dried or otherwise deleteriously influenced by heat emanating from the ampoules, which may be hot when being marked. Further, since the ink supplying mechanism does not move with the inking or marking member between the described positions thereof, such ink supplying mechanism may include an ink tank of relatively larger capacity than heretofore employed without giving rise to intolerably high inertial forces.

In order to obtain a favorable positional and operational relationship of the components of the device according to this invention for marking the ampoules at the same station at which the ampoules are scored, and also for facilitating the incorporation of such device in an existing ampoule cutting and sorting machine, it is afeature of such device to effect the above described movements .of the inking or marking member in a plane which contains the longitudinal axis of the ampoule when located at the marking and scoring station. Further, the movements of the inking or marking member between its ink pickup position and its marking position are preferably controlled by a camlike slideshaped to ensure that the movements of the inking or marking member to and from the surface of the ampoule occur in adirection substantially perpendicular to such surface, whereby the ink drop is transferred from the inking member to the ampoule without blurring of the resulting mark on the latter.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the ink supplying mechanism includes an ink tank containing a supply of ink and a rotatable bucket wheel dipping into such ink supply and being provided at its periphery with blind holes or bores for picking up and retaining ink therei'nby capillary action, and

the inking or marking member isin theform of a suitably shaped head of heat-resistant material, such as, a hard metal, carried by an arm which is movably supported and guided, so that, during each operating cycle of the marking device, the head is contacted with the periphery of the bucket wheel to receive an ink drop from one of the blind holes at such periphery and then moves into contact with an ampoule at the marking station for transferring the ink drop to the surface of the ampoule. In order to ensure that the inking or marking member is supplies with fresh and well mixed ink during successive operating cycles of the marking device, it is desirable to turn the bucket wheel in a step-by-step manner in synchronism with the movements of the inking member so i that the latter contacts the periphery of the bucket wheel at a different blind bore or hole during successive operating cycles, and further to cause circulation of the ink contained in the ink tank.

In order to maximize the capacity of an ampoule cutting and sorting machine provided witha scoring and marking device according to this invention; it is desirable that the described movements of the inking or marking; member be synchronized with the movements of a scoring tool in such a way that scoring and marking are effected eithersimultaneously or in immediate succession to each other on an ampoule positioned at a combined marking and scoring station.

A further feature of a marking and scoring device according to this invention is the provision of such device with means to prevent rotation and undesirable oscillation of each ampoule during the scoring and marking thereof.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a known ampoule cutting and sorting machine which is shown provided with a scoring and marking device according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse, enlarged sectional view taken along the line II on FIG. 1, and which shows details of the scoring and marking device;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of HQ 2, but from which elements in the foreground of FIG. 2 have been removed in order to show details of the marking section of the device according to this invention, with such marking section being shown partly broken away and in section;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the bucket wheel included in the marking section of the device according to this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevational view of the mechanism shown on FIG. 2 as viewed from the right-hand side of the latter.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that the reference numeral 11 there identifies thechassis or frame of a known cutting and sorting.

machine which is provided, at its left-hand portion, with a cutting unit A, at its right-hand portion, with a sorting device B, and, intermediate the cutting unit A and the sorting device B, with a scoring and marking device C according to this invention. The illustrated known cutting and sorting machine is further shown to have parallel, fixed bars 12 and 13 which are spaced apart laterally (FIG. 2) and which extend horizontally through the machine past cutting unit A to sorting device B. The fixed bars 12 and 13 are formed, in their upper edges, with laterally alined notches which are uniformly spaced apart along the bars, as at 60 and 60 (FIG. 1), for receiving and supporting the successive ampoules 114 as the latter are moved intermittently or stepwise through the machine. Similarly, notched conveyor bars 61 and 62 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are located laterally between fixed bars 12 and 13 and are maintained in horizontal positions while being moved circularly in vertical planes. Such circular movement is imparted to conveyor bars 61 and 62 by mounting the latter, at locations spaced apart substantially along their lengths, on pivot pins 63 and 64 extending eccentrically from disks 67 and 68 which are respectively mounted on transversely extending, rotatable shafts 65 and 66. When disks 67 and 68 are rotated in the same direction, for example, in the clockwise direction as indicated by the arrows 69 and 70, conveyor bars 61 and 62 move upwardly between fixed bars 12 to receive the ampoules carried by bars 12 and 13 in the notches of the conveyor bars and to life such ampoules from fixed bars 12 and 13, whereupon the conveyor bars 61 and 62 move forwardly above fixed bars 12 and 13 to advance all of the ampoules through a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent notches of the fixed bars, for example, to advance the ampoule shown in notches 60 to the next notches 60'. Continued rotation of disks 67 and 68 causes conveyor bars 61 and 62 to return to their lowered positions, as shown on FIGS. 1 and 2, with the ampoules being left thereabove in notches of the fixed bars 12 and 13. The rotation of disks 67 and 68 for causing the described circular movements of conveyor bars 61 and 62 may be effected through bevel gearing 107 and 108 (FIG. 1) from a main drive shaft 59 which is, in turn, driven through reduction gearing 58 by an electric motor 57.

As shown particularly on FIGS. 1 and 2, the scoring section of the device C in accordance with this invention includes a scoring tool in the form of a rotating disk 15 for scoring each of the conveyed ampoules when the ampoule is situated in the notches of fixed bars 12 and 13 located vertically below the axis of rotation of disk 15, which notches define a marking and scoring station. The disk 15 is suitably fixed on the shaft of an electric driving motor 16, and the latter is mounted on an arm 17 which is held by a clamp 18 provided at one end of a transversely extending shaft 20. The shaft 20 is turnable and axially slidable in a suitably supported bearing 19 (FIG. 2) and the end of shaft 20 remote from clamp 18 has a lever 21 keyed or splined thereto FIGS. 2 and Lever 21 carries a cam follower roller 21a (FIG. 5) engaging a face cam 22 which is secured on main drive shaft 59 so that, in response to rotation of the main drive shaft, lever 21 is periodically rocked to effect similar pivotal movements of arm 17 to move scoring disk substantially vertically to and from a working position, as shown on FIGS. 2 and 5, where the periphery of the scoring disk is engageable from below by the ampoule supported at the marking and scoring station. Lever 21 is suitably held against axial movements relative to bearing 19, whereas shaft is axially displaceable relative to bearing 19 and lever 21, for example, by means of a threaded spindle 71 turnable by a hand wheel 72 (FIG. 2), whereby to adjust the position along each ampoule at which the same is to be scored by disk 15. It will be understood that, during each advancement of the ampoules by conveyor bars 61 and 62, cam 22 is effective to cause raising of scoring disk 15 from its illustrated working (FIGS. whereby to prevent contact of the scoring disk with the ampoules being advanced thereunder.

Device C further comprises a mechanism by which the ampoule l4 situated at the marking and scoring station is thrust upwardly or pressed against the periphery of the rotated scoring disk 15 when the latter is in its working position so as to be scored by disk 15. Such mechanism is shown to include a balance beam 24 (FIG. 2) which is pivotally supported intermediate its ends, as indicated in broken lines at 23, and which has a weight 25 adjustably positioned along the beam at one side of the pivot 23 and a prismatic support 26 at the opposite end of the balance beam for engagement from below with the neck 27 of the ampoule 14 at the scoring and marking station. When balance beam 24 is released, as hereinafter described, support 26 raises the neck of ampoule 14 at the scoring and marking station so as to cause such ampoule to bear against the periphery of scoring disk 15 with a force determined by the position of weight 25 along beam 24. A rod 280 is pivotally connected to beam 24 and depends from the latter through a cylinder 30 containing oil 29 in which there is immersed a piston 28 secured on rod 28a. The immersion of piston 28 in oil 29 serves to damp the movements of balance beam 24 and hence of the ampoule 14 during the scoring of the latter. The lower end portion of rod 28a which projects from cylinder 30 terminates in a foot 28b FIGS. 1 and 5) which rests on a camshaped portion of a transversely extending shaft 280. The camshaped portion of shaft 280 may be constituted merely by a flattened surface portion on such shaft which, when engaged by foot 28b, releases or permits downward movement of rod 28a and consequent rocking of beam 24 by weight 25 in the direction to raise support 26 against the neck of the ampoule at the marking and scoring station. When shaft 28c is turned so that its flattened surface portion faces away from foot 28b the latter is raised by the surface of shaft 28c and hence causes rocking of balance beam 24 in the direction to withdraw its support 26 downwardly away from the neck of ampoule 14 at the marking and scoring station.

The turning of shaft 28c so as to release balance beam 24 for action of its support 26 against the ampoule only during the actual scoring operation may be controlled by means of a lever 28d (FIG. 5) secured at one end of shaft 280and carrying a cam follower roller 28c which is urged against a suitably shaped cam 28f on main drive shafi 59, as by a spring 28g.

In order to ensure that the ampoule situated at the marking and scoring station will not be rotated during the actual scoring and marking operations by reason of the contact of such ampoule with the periphery of rotated scoring disk 15, the device C is shown to further include a brake stirrup 31 which, during the scoring and marking operations, bears downwardly on the ampoule 14 and holds it tight against bar 13 and support 26, but is otherwise raised away from ampoule 14 so as to avoid interference with the advancement of the successive ampoules by conveyor bars 61 and 62. Brake stirrup 31 is shown to depend from a bar 32 (FIG. 3) extending from an arm which is secured to a shaft 86 having a lever 33 also fixed thereon and carrying a cam follower roller 33a engaging the periphery of a suitably shaped cam 34 secured on main drive shaft 59 (FIGS. 3 and 5). Thus, in response to rotation of main drive shaft 59, cam 34 causes brake stirrup 31 to be moved upwardly during advancement of the ampoule and then to be moved downwardly into rotation preventing contact with the ampoule 14 at the marking and scoring station during the actual marking and scoring operations.

The marking section of the device C according to this invention is shown particularly on FIG. 3 to generally comprise an inking or marking member 35 which is movable between a first or ink pickup position, shown in full lines on FIG. 3, and a second or marking position indicated in broken lines at 35' on FIG. 3, and an ink supplying mechanism situated remotely with respect to the ampoule 14 at the marking and scoring station and being operative to deliver a drop of ink to the member 35 upon each movement of the latter to its ink pickup position. In the embodiment shown, inking or marking member 35, which may be in the form of a head of heat-resistant material, such as a hard metal, is replaceably clamped in a retaining arm 36 extending laterally at one end of a support arm 37 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and the opposite end of support arm 37 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a driving lever 38 which is rocked, as hereinafter described, to effect the movements of member 35 between its ink pickup and marking positions. The path followed by member 35 during its movement by lever 38 is established and controlled by means of a camlike slide 40 which is engaged from above by a roller 39 carried by arm 37. Slide 40 is shown to be pivotally mounted, at one end, on a pivot pin 99 (FIG. 2) carried by a suitable support 99a, and an abutment 100 depends from slide 40 and is held in engagement with an adjusting screw 101 extending threadably through support 990, as by a spring 102 urging slide 40 downwardly about pivot pin 99. It will be apparent that adjustment of screw 101 serves to pivot slide 40 about pin 99 and thereby varies the elevation of the shaped upper surface of slide 40 particularly at the end thereof closest to ampoule 14 at the scoring and, marking station.

The lower end of driving lever 38 is secured on a shaft 73 for rocking about the axis of the latter and is urged in the clockwise direction by a spring 43 (FIG. 2). Rocking of lever 38 is effected by way of a bevel gear 41 secured on shaft 73 and meshing with a bevel gear 42 secured to an end of a shaft 74 which, adjacent its opposite end, has two spaced apart, radial arms 79 and 80 secured to shaft 74 with a bar 78 extending between the ends of arms 79 and 80 to form a yoke therewith. A lever 76 has its hub 75 freely rotatable on shaft 74 to permit axial sliding of the latter through hub 75, and such lever 76 is bifurcated, at one end, asat 77, to .slidably receive bar 78 for transmitting (rocking) of lever 76 to shaft 74. The end of lever 76 remote from its bifurcated end 77 is pivotally connected to a link 81 (FIGS. 2 and 5) which is, in

turn, pivotally connected to a lever 83 pivotally supported at 82 and carrying a cam follower roller 84 which is held in engagement, as by a spring 87, with a cam 56 fixed on main drive shaft 59.

Cam 56 is suitably, shaped sothat, during each revolution of main drive shaft 59 which corresponds to a complete operating cycle of device C, driving lever 38 is rocked to the position shown in broken lines on FIG, 2 and in full lines on FIG. 3 to dispose the inking or marking member 35 at its ink pickup position while conveyor bars 61 and 62 are effective to advance the ampoules one set of notches along fixed bars 12 and l 13, and further so that, during the residence of an ampoule at the marking and scoring station, driving lever 38 is rocked to l the position shown in full lines on FIG. 2 to dispose the inking or marking member 35 at its marking position and then to return lever 38 to the position shown in broken lines on FIG. 2 for returning theinking or marking member to its ink pickup position whereby to permit the next advancement of the ampoules.

As shown particularly on FIG. 3, the ink supplying mechanism of the device C according to this invention preferably includes a bucket wheel 44 having uniformly circumferentially spaced apart blind holes or bores 45 formed in its periphery and being rotatably supported on an ink tank 51 containing a supply of ink 52 into which at least the peripheral portion of wheel 44 is made to dip. A scraper 103 is provided with a bifurcated end embracing the periphery of wheel 44 so as to remove or wipe ink from the sides and peripheral surface of wheel 44 as the latter emerges from the ink supply 52, thereby leaving only the ink retained by capillary action in bores or holes 45. Journals or pins 104 extending from the opample, through a coupling 54 joining worm 5310 a pulley 97 rotated through a belt 55 from a pulley 94 which is axially movable along a shaft 96 rotatably supported in a bearing 95 and further carrying a pulley 89 driven through a belt 88 from apulley 90 fixed on a shaft 91 driven from the main drive shaft 59, as through bevel gears 92 and 93.

In order that a different bore or hole 45 of wheel 44 will be presented at the top of the latter for pickup of the ink therefrom by member 35 upon each movement of the latter to its inkpickup position shown in full lines ontFlG. 3, bucket wheel 44 is preferably turned in a step-by-step manner in synchronism with the movements of inking member 35. In the embodiment shown,.such step-by-step turning of bucket wheel 44 is effected by means of a ratchet wheel 46 (FIGS. 2 and 4) secured on the shaft of wheel 44 and having its toothed periphery engaged by a pawl or ratchet lever 47 (FIG. 2)

which is vertically reciprocated in response to rocking of driving lever 38. Such vertical reciprocation of pawl 47 in response to rocking of lever 38 is achieved by means of a cam follower roller 48 mounted at the lower end of pawl 47 and engaging, from below, with a cam 50 which is pivotally connected, as at 49, to lever 38. A spring 470 acts upwardly on pawl 47 to hold roller48 upwardly against cam 50, and further to hold cam 50 against a guide roller 50a which guides cam 50 to reciprocate substantially in a horizontal direction in response to rocking of lever 38 to which it is pivotally connected.

It will be apparent that, during movement of lever 38 from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in broken lines on FIG. 2, pawl 47 turns ratchet wheel 46, and hence bucketwheel 44, to dispose a different bore 45 at the top of the bucket wheel for contact by member 35 when the latter reaches its ink pickup position. During the reverse rocking of lever 38, pawl 47 merely skips over the teeth of ratchet wheel 46.

It will be seen from FIG. 2 that the upper surface of camlike slide 40 engaged by roller 39 to guide inking member 35 during its movements between the ink pickup and marking positions thereof includes an upwardly bowed portion extending between flat lands at the opposite ends of slide 40. The land engaged by roller 39 when member 35 is in its ink pickup position is located so that member 35 will contact the periphery of wheel 44 at the hole or bore 45 thereof then atthe top of wheel 44, whereby to receive a drop of ink from such bore or hole. By reason of the upwardly bowed contour of the top surface of slide 40, member 35 is lifted away from the periphery of wheel 44 as member 35 commences itsmovement away from the ink pickup position. Further, by reason of the bowed contour of the topsurface of slide 40, member 35 is moved downwardly as it nears its marking position, thereby to be moved into contact with the surface of ampoule 14 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the contacted surface of the ampoule. Conversely, when moving away from its marking position, member 35 is initially raised substantially perpendicular to the contacted surface of the ampoule. Thus, contact of the inking or marking member 35 with the ampoule is effected in a manner to deposit the transferred drop of ink on the surface of the ampoule without blurring or smearing of such ink drop.

Since all of the operational movements of the scoring section and the marking section of device C in accordance with this invention are derived from earns 22, 28f, 34 and 56 secured on main drive shaft 59, which shaft also controls the conveying of the successive ampoules to and from the marking and scoring station, it is apparent that such operational move ments can be reliably synchronized with each other, as by suitable shaping of the respective cams, and also synchronized with the intermittent or step-by-step conveying of the ampoules along bars 12 and 13. In order to minimize the time required for the marking and scoring operations on each ampoule and thereby to increase the operating capacity of the associated cutting and sorting machine, the earns 56 and 22 may be shaped and positioned relative to each other to move the inking or marking member 35 to its marking position indicated at 35' on FIG. 3 during the scoring of the ampoule by disk 15 or immediately upon the completion of the scoring operation.

The operating sequence of the device C may be summarized 62, move downwardly in the course of their circular travel so bars 12 and 13, the rotating scoring disk 15 is made to follow the downward movement of such ampoule and the brake stirrup 31 is also moved downwardly to bear upon the ampoule deposited at the marking and scoring station. At the same time, balance beam 24 is released so that its support 26 will act upwardly on the neck 27 of ampoule 14 for pressing the latter with a predetermined force against the periphery of the scoring disk, whereby to be scored by the latter. As an ampoule is deposited at the marking and scoring station, driving lever 38 is rocked toward the position shown in full lines on FIG. 2, thereby to move member 35 to its marking position in contact with the ampoule 14 either simultaneously with the scoring of the latter or immediately upon the completion of the scoring operation. Upon completion of the scoring and marking operations, beam 24 is rocked by raising of rod 28a to disengage support 26 from the ampoule, rotating scoring disk and brake 31 are elevated away from the scored ampoule and member 35 is returned to its ink pickup position, whereby to permit conveyor bars 61 and 62 to transport the marked and scored ampoule away from the marking and scoring station and to position the next ampoule at such station for the commencement of the next operating cycle.

It will be apparent that adjustable stops (not shown) may be provided to limit the rocking of balance beam 24 when the latter is released, or that the time during which rotating scoring disk 15 is in contact with the ampoule may be varied, whereby to control the depth of scoring of the ampoule.

As previously mentioned, the position along each ampoule 14 at which the latter is scored by disk 15 may be varied by manipulation of hand wheel 72 for axially displacing shaft 20, and the device C may be further adapted for use with various sizes of ampoules by mounting the several components of its marking section on a support 109 which is movable generally in the longitudinal direction of the ampoule at the marking and scoring station by sliding on a guide 110 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The adjustment of support 109 along guide 110 which extends transversely relative to the direction in which the successive ampoules are conveyed along machine frame 11 may be effected by turning of a hand wheel 98 (FIG. 2) which is secured to a jack screw 111 (FIG. 5) extending parallel to guide 110 and being threadably engaged with support 109.

Although the device C is particularly suited for the marking and scoring of ampoules delivered to the marking and scoring station in hot condition, as the heat of such ampoules cannot affect the reliability of the marking operation by drying of the ink in the remotely located tank 51 or in the bores 45 of bucket wheel 44, it will be apparent that the device C can also be employed for the marking and scoring of cold ampoules. When marking and scoring cold ampoules, or when the ampoules delivered to the marking and scoring station are not sufficiently hot to cause adequate drying of the inked markings applied thereto, a drying chamber or oven may be provided adjacent the path along which the ampoules are conveyed downstream from the marking and scoring station. The device according tothe invention may be further provided with a control or checking unit (not shown) which, for example, responds to the absence of the spark occurring during the scoring operation, or to the absence of the load reaction on the support 26 of the balance beam normally occurring in response to the scoring of an ampoule, to either prevent the marking of an unscored ampoule or to initiate the sorting out of the latter by the sorting device B.

Although an illustrative embodiment of this invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

It is claimed:

1. In a device for the local scoring of ampoules and for markingthe position of the score on each ampoule, the combination of means for moving the ampoules one-by-one to and from a marking and scoring station, means for temporarily holding each ampoule at said station during the marking and scoring of the ampoule, scoring means movable toward and away from an ampoule at said station, means for moving said scoring means into engagement with each ampoule at said station so as to score the same, ink supplying means spaced from said marking and scoring station, a movably mounted marking member, and means to move said marking member between a first position where said member picks up a small quantity of ink from said supplying means and a second position at which said member contacts the ampoule at said station and transfers said quantity of ink to the ampoule for marking the position of the score thereon.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which said ink supplying means includes an ink tank containing a supply of ink, and an ink metering member withdrawing individual small quantities of ink from said supply in the tank and being engaged by said marking member upon each movement of the latter to said first position so as to deliver to said marking member one of said small quantities of ink.

3. A device according to claim 2, in which said ink metering member is in the form of a rotatable wheel mounted to dip into said supply of ink in the tank and having blind bores opening at the periphery of said wheel to receive said small quantities of ink from said supply when dipping in the latter and to retain said small quantities by capillary action when removed from said supply.

4. A device according to claim 3, in which said marking member, when in said first position, engages said periphery of the wheel at the top of the latter, and said ink supplying means further comprises drive means for said wheel operative to effect step-by-step turning of the wheel in synchronism with the movements of said marking member so as to position a different one of said blind bores at the top of the wheel upon each movement of said marking member to said first position thereof.

5. A device according to claim 2, in which said ink supplying means further includes means in said tank operative to maintain a circulation of the ink in said supply.

6. A device according to claim I, in which said means for moving the ampoules transports the latter with their longitudinal axes extending transversely with respect to the path of movement of the ampoules to and from said station, said ink supplying means is disposed to one side of said path of movement of the ampoules, and said marking member is moved between said first and second positions thereof in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the ampoule at said marking and scoring station.

7. A device according to claim 1, in which said means to move said marking member includes cam means controlling the shape of the path of movement of said marking means between said first and second positions and having a configuration to ensure that the terminal portion of said path of movement of the marking member adjacent said second position extends substantially perpendicular to the surface of the ampoule at said station which is contacted by the marking position in said second position. v

8. A device according to claim 1, in which said markin member is of a hard, heat-resistant material at least at the portion thereof which picks up ink from said supplying means and contacts the ampoule at said station.

9. A device according to claim 1, in which said means for moving said scoring means and said means to move said marking member are synchronized to effect the movement of said marking member to said second position for marking the ampoule at said station within a period extending from during the scoring of the ampoule to immediately following the completion of said scoring.

10. A device according to claim 1, in which said means for temporarily holding each ampoule at said station includes a brake member engageable with the ampoule at said station to prevent rotation of the ampoule during the marking and scoring thereof, and a support member urged against the ampoule at said station in the direction toward said scoring means to 12. A device according to claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting the position of said scoring means along the ampoule at said station when engaged with said ampoule, and means to adjust the location of said marking member along the ampoule at said station when said marking member is moved to said second position thereof. 

